6.
An apostolic and ancient tradition has prevailed in the holy churches of God
throughout the whole world ('Επειδη τε τισ αποστολικη και αρχαια παραδοσις εν
ταις κατα πασαν την οικουμενην αγιας <του θεου> εκκλησιαις), whereby
those according to the hierarchy frankly refer in all respects to those who
have administered the high-priesthood (ιεραρχιας) before them, as to how they
should think and maintain the faith which the most wise Paul has handed on to
them with the utmost safeguards, lest they run their course in vain (Gal.
2:2), for their entire course becomes vain of the faith is harmed in any
respect. For that prophetic man, who listened to God’s utterances and had
heaven itself as his school, and became a beholder of paradise before his time
and heard things that could not be told (2 Cor. 12:4) to other human
beings, who in dread and trepidation, and, as he says himself, was thoroughly afraid
lest, after announcing to others the saving message of Christ, he
himself should be disqualified (1 Cor. 9:27). Hence Christ’s heavenly
disciple also went up to Jerusalem and submitted himself to the divine
disciples who were before him, and made known the Gospel teaching which he
preached to those who seemed to be superior to others, and made them party to
his doctrine, ensuring a safeguard for himself and for those after him who
receive his teachings, becoming an excellent model of salvation for all those
who wished to follow in his footsteps. Accordingly, we also observe this
custom, and because we deem an excellent law all that was done fittingly by
older generations, especially when confirmed by apostolic practice, we write
how it stands with us concerning the faith, and we wend it to You, wise in the
things of God, to be tested, lest we seem to have changed the ancient
landmarks which our fathers positioned (Prov. 22:28). You not only know how
to distinguish acceptable teachings from spurious ones but also are able,
through the perfect love of Christ, to supply what is lacking (2 Cor.
9:12) accurately and firmly. It is those teachings, then, of which I shall
discourse, teachings which I, having been born and reared in the holy catholic
church, learned thoroughly from the beginning and received as the way to think
from childhood, and heard You, who are inspired by God (θεοπνευστων), preach. (Sophronius,
Synodical Letters, 2.1.6, in Sophronius of Jerusalem and Seventh-Century
Heresy: The Synodical Letters and Other Documents [trans. Pauline Allen;
Oxford Early Christian Texts; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009], 71, 73)
